Iron County register., 1887-02-03
MISSOURI STATE NEWS.
The State Legislature.


THE Senate was not in session on the 22d ....
In the House, beyond a batch of bills and
number of submission petitions, nothing or I'M
portance was DONE Among the bills intro
duced were the following: To divide the State
into normal school districts and to make each
school selfsustaining; to correct abuses in ele-
vator and warehouse charges; to reduce pas
senger rates on trunk lines to two and half
cents per mile, children half price; to reduce
the distance to ten miles, beyond which wit
nesses in civil cases can not be compelled to
attend unless their expenses are rendered
them: prohibiting the sale of liquor to students
OF the State University.
IN the Senate on the 24th, the time was
mainly taken up in routine business and the in
PRODUCTION of bills. which are accommodating
very rapidly much more so, indeed. than they
will be disposed, and very many of them will
never find their way out of the committee room
In the House another large batch of sub
mission petitions was presented, and also petit
tions for the passage of the Militia Approprla-
tlon bill. Among the bills introduced were the
following: To punish wife-beaters. by estab-
fishing a whipping post; to prohibit the killing
of quail in this State for three years after Oc-
tober IS, 1887; to protect farmers from SWIM
dlers, and providing that the signers OF
a contract which is changed into q note or of
note obtained by fraud or deception. may set
up such fraud or deception defense against
the purchaser of the note; providing that voters,
before voting at any State or county election,
shall show receipt for payment of taxes for the
year next preceding such election: to make a
lawful barbed-wire fence consist of seven
strands of wire, with posts not less than eight
nor more than sixteen feet apart; to establlSh
a branch penitentiary within the section of the
State lying east of line running due south
from the mouth of the Usage river and making
the Missouri river the northern boundary OF
such section: to require dram-shop keepers
and bar-tenders to wear badges, and making it
misdemeanor for failure to do So
In the Senate on the 25th a petition was pre-
sented from the Central Labor Union of St
Louis asking the passage of a law providing for
compulsory education. A batch OF new bills
were presented and referred In the House
several bills were introduced; also joint and
concurrent resolution submitting to the people
a constitutional amendment authorizing the
removal of the State capital from Jefferson
City. The bill to create a State Board of EQuali-
zatlon went to engrossment without opposition,
but the bill to provide for the distribution of
the bodies of paupers for dissection created
lively debate, but was finally ordered to en-
grosSment
IN the Senate, on the Goth, but little business
of Importance was transacted. Mr.. Gideon's
habeas corpus bill was passed. It's object is to
prevent the abuse of the use of the writ of
habeas corpus in the of persons under
eighteen years of age who have had sentence of
death commuted to imprisonment in the pen
itentiary. iSeveral cases have lately Occurred
where persons whose sentences were commut-
ed by the Governor have been given their iber-
ty by the abuse of the writ of habeas corpusl.
.......I In the House the following bills were
introduced: Making suits in counties
of over 5000 inhabitants triable at
first term; amending the road law;
abolishing the Office of road overseer: assessing
poll-taX of one dollar; letting work by con-
tract: compelling surveyors to inspect roads; dis
franchising for non-payment of tax; empower
ing county courts to sell sixteenth section
lam dc wit Of hon
of district. required by law. to create
board of township commissioners: to provide
for the of convict labor in making school
books, and to create a State school board to
provide for the free distribution of books. The
joint and concurrent resolution providing for
the submission to the people of the capital re-
mOval question was called up, and, after a
lively debate, was defeated by a vote of 64 yeas
TO Il nays.
IN the Senate, on the 27th. an unusual mum.
Der of petitions were presented, together with
a fair spr1nkling of new bills. The following
bills We're passed: Providing that plots of
additions to cities, towns and villages, or of
plots of ground within two miles of any city,
town or village. except cemetery plots. shall con-
form to the streets of such city: providing that
jurieS may sentence to the pcnitentiary, for not
less than fifty years, in cases of conviction of
murder in the first degrees; providing that
prisoners convicted of misdemeanor felony
and subject to Imprisonment IN county jail,
may De. IN the U1ScfeIlO1 OF Jle court,
sent to the city worll-house: to estab-
lish branch county clerks office in Kansas
City. providing that the Commissioner of
Labor statistics shall make his annual report
on or before the 9Th day of November; prOVid-
ing that cause or proceeding shall be con-
tinued from u regular to a special or ad-
journed term OF court without consent of par
ties: changing the time of holding court in the
Third judicial circuit: giving justices of the
peace concurrent jurisdiction in all actions
brought on conStable's bonds. In the House
a number of new bills were introduced. but no
other business of Importance was transacted.
In the Senate, on the 2Sth, a resolution was
introduced requesting the House to appoint a
committee to investigate the sale of Agrcult-
ur2l College lands. to act with the Senate CON-
mittee appointed for the same purpose. Mr.
Hunter called up his funding bill. An amend
ment providing that not less instead of
"more" than S250.G0O be set apart annually
for the sinking fund was adopted. and the
bill was ordered engrossed and printed,
The Senate refused to pass the bill intro.
duced by Mr.. McGinnis, which provides that
''when two or more defendants are jointly in
dicted for any felony they shall be tried sep
arately or jointly, in the discretion of the
court The vote was reconsidered by which
the Senate refused to engross Mr.. Sears bill
taxing theatrical and minstrel performances.
After an amusing debate the bill was ordered
engrossed and printed In the House,
to remove the capital was lost.
was after effort to table it, car
RED, and the subject was postponed until Feb
ruary 10. The report of the majority of the
committee on constitutional amendments in
avor of sub uniting a prohibition amendment
was followed by the reading at length of the
minority report. The resolution was ord cred
printed. The debate on the bill to repeal the ,
aw of 1857 was postponed until February 2.
miscellaneous Items.
of